Apparatus for melting, compressing, and forcing metal or alloys into molds.



W. G. HANNA, J11. APPARATUB POE MELT-ING, OOMPREBSING, AND FORGING METAL 0R ALLOYS INTO MOLDB.

APPLICATION nun 1920.7, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

nN TEn STATES PATENT c inics WILLIAM GEORGE HANNA, JR., or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS son MELTING, coMrnEssINe, AND FoncINe METAL on ALLoYs INTO MOLDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Gnome HAN'NA,\JT., subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, mechanical and electrical engineer, have invented certain new and usetul Improvements in Apparatus for Melting, Com; pressing, and Forcin Metal or Alloys into Molds,0f which the ollcwing, is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in or connected with metal compressing or forcing machines and especially to such as are used in dealing with Babbitt metal or other white metal alloys in a molten or fluid state for any purpose whatsoever.

The invention may be .used with immensely improved result in cases'where bearings OTfbllShBS' are being manufactured or made solid from Babbitt or other white metal alloys alone or in cases where cast metal shells or backings of any other kind are to be lined with the metals or alloys referred to. The invention may also be employed with greatly improved results when casting alloys of phosphor bronze, gun metal, brass, copper, zinc, aluminium for bearings or bushes or for any other purpose or for steel or cast iron.

The object of my invention is to provide means which on their proper application and use will give a gradual pressure up to or over 500 lbs. to the square inch according to the nature and requirements of the case, especially in the operation of making bearings or bushes solid from white metal alloys alone or where bearings or bushes are being lined with white metal alloy. In all cases where my invention is used for compressing and forcmg molten metal into molds such as are employed in making bearing bushes or other castings the continuous gradual pressure hereinbefore referred to so compresses the molten metal as to force it into all parts of the mold, expelling all the air, rendering blow holes impossible and preventing sponginess of the metal. The compressing, condensing and solidifying of the molten metal makes it closer in grain and stronger and better able to resist pressure,'strain or friction of any. kind than'if the molten metal were not compressed.

This invention consists in the novel con- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 7, 1912. Serial Ne. 785,395.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913 sarily, made in two parts bolted or otherwise secured together, as for instance, by flanges and bolts'as shown at b. The upper half of the'pot is flanged at the mouth and is sealed by covers a substantially semi-circular in plan, the straight edges of the covers resting upon a central rail at extending across the pot and secured to the upper end of the main framework 6 of the machine. The rail in'addition to supporting the covers acts as a bearing for supporting the upper end of the agitating and mixin means and the plunger hereinafter referre to; I arrange substantially concentric with the melting pot an outer casing f at some distance therefrom so as to leave a chamber 9, the casing being open at its lower end for the application of heat, by any approved means, and having an outlet opening h at its upper part. The casing f is supported from the main frame 6, in any suitable manner.

In the interior of the melting potand se- 5 forced downward or raised upward by means of the hand wheel is or other suitable means for rotating it.

When the plunger is in the position shown in the drawings it acts as a plug to re'vent molten metal passing from the melting pot and through holes 19 in the upstanding tube to the outlet in the bottom of thepot while, on the other hand, when the plunger is raised above such holes metal can freely flow. In order to control the flow of the metal and to effect its compression in conjunctionwit-h the plunger I secure to the lower end of the melting pot a valve body valve 39 controlling the outlet ofthe' molten metal through a removable and interchangeable nozzle 9 whose outer end is adapted to fit in the upperportion of the mold into which the molten metal is to be forced. Both the valves referred to are operated by spindles 1- having at theirbuter ends hand wheels or handles .9. The lower valve is closed when the upper one is'open and consequently when the plunger is lifted the molten metal can flow through thelower end of the melting pot through the first valve and fill up the space; between the second valve and the lower end of the plunger. After the mold has been placed in position on the table hereinafter referred to, the lower valve is opened to allow the metal to flow through it into the mold Inso doing it is followed up by the plunger which compresbes it to any required degree and up to or over 500 lbs. to the square inch, simultaneously expelling all air froth the. mold and providing a solid homogeneous casting without blow holes or sponginess but on the other hand perfectly solid and close grained. The lower valve is liable to get out of working order, and it can be removed and replaced without letting all the metal out of the pot, by closing the upper valve-n which is larger and less liable to get-out of order. The lower valve can often be made to work when stopped up,-by closing the upper valve and without removing the lower valve, and this would not be practicable if the upper valve were not provided to retain the metal. The upper valve being larger than the lower valve is less liable to get stopped up as matter accumulating around its plug hole isremoved by the plunger which forced throughthe plug hole.

The covers hereinbefore referred to en-v able the melting pot to be fed with the metal or alloy to be melted and prevent oxidation of the molten metal whilethe stirring -or agitating apparatus now to be described eliminates the necessity of uncovering the melting pot for the purpose of st-irrin its contents by means of a stick or the 'ke, which has usually been the case.

The agitating and mixing means consist of one or more arms 25 forming part of or seecured to the lower end of a tube to surrounding the fixed central tube through which the plunger passes, the lower end of the tube u resting on a flange on the central tube so as to keep the arms clear of the bottom of the melting pot. The upper end of the tube M has secured to it a bevel wheel '22 which gears with a bevel pinion w mounted on a shaft :10 operated by a hand wheel or other suitable means. -The parts re erred to enable the molten metal to be thoroughly agitated and mixed so preventing segregation, a point of vital importance. I understood that the arms may be rotated by any other simple means.

For the purpose of supporting the molds into which the molten metal is to be forced I employ a table 2 adapted to be raised and lowered to the required point by means of a central screw 3 which carries a wheel 4 acting as a nut, such wheel gearing with a carrier wheel 5 which in turn, gears with a wheel 6 adapted to be'rotated y a cranked shaft 7 or by other simple means. vThe 1'0- would have it tation of the gearingraises and lowers the K table as required, the wheel 4 being held in position against the cross bar or plate- 8 by means of a forked bracket 18 passing above it and bolted to such plate.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination, with a pot for molten metal provided with a vertical an outlet at the bottom of the pot and a passage connecting it with the interior of the pot, of two valves arranged one above the other and connected to the said outlet, a plunger slidable in the said tube and closing the said passage when depressed, and means for supporting a mold under the said valves. j 2. The combination, with a pot for molten metal provided with a vertical tube having an outlet at the'bottom and a passage connecting it with the interior of the pot, of a plug-valve secured to the sald outlet and havm a plug hole of the same diameter as the said tube, an outlet valve secured below the said plug-valve, a plunger slidable in the said tube and plug hole and closing the said passage when depressed, and means for supporting a mold under the outlet valve.

3. The combination, with a pot for molten metal provided with a vertical tube having an outlet at the bottom of the pot and a passage connecting it with lthe interior of the pot, of two valves arranged one above the other and connected to the said outlet, a plunger slidable in the said tube and closing the said passage when depressed, a mixing device journaled on the said tube inside the pot, and means for supporting a mold under the said valves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM- GEORGE HANNA, JUNIOR- Witnesses;

' WILLIAM M. TAYLOR,

AMY- EVELINE Evans.

tube having 

